Liverpool Sound City thrives on discovery, and Sunday’s early‑afternoon slot at Spanish Caravan proved the perfect setting for a breakout moment. The MusiCube team was on-site to check out a fantastic selection of artists over the weekend, from inaekkum, hailing from Daegu, South Korea, to indie stars Zander, the ever-stunning Yee Loi, the dancefloor fillers Lucky Iris, and many others. One hot standout, making her festival debut, was Filipina–British R&B artist xyzelle who stepped onto the stage with a calm, collected presence that immediately set her apart.
There was no hint of nerves, no sense of a newcomer testing the waters. Instead, she carried herself with the assurance of an artist who already understands how to command a room. What followed was a performance that blended smooth vocals, sharp rhythmic delivery, and a natural instinct for audience connection, turning a modest early slot into one of the day’s most engaging showcases. For a first appearance at Sound City, xyzelle delivered with a confidence that suggested far bigger stages lie ahead.
Spanish Caravan has long been one of Sound City’s most reliable spaces for early‑day discoveries, and xyzelle’s appearance on Sunday afternoon was a reminder of how quickly a room can shift when the right artist steps into the spotlight. From the moment she took the microphone, she radiated a cool, understated confidence that instantly drew attention. There was no visible hesitation, no tentative warm‑up period. Instead, she settled into the space with the ease of someone who has already spent years refining her craft, despite this being her first appearance at the festival.
Her vocal presence was the first thing to strike the room. xyzelle’s tone carries a smooth, soulful warmth that sits comfortably within contemporary R&B, but she pairs it with a sharp, precise rap delivery that adds a dynamic edge to her sound, as well as the sort of smiles that would melt even the hardest of hearts. Across the set, she moved between these modes with fluidity, shifting from melodic lines to rhythmic phrasing without ever breaking her composure. It’s a duality that defines her recorded work, but live, it gained a new immediacy. She worked the microphone with a relaxed, natural motion, shaping each phrase with intention and clarity.
Audience engagement quickly became one of the defining features of her performance. During her cover of Jorja Smith and Preditah’s On My Mind, she encouraged the crowd to sing along, guiding them through the hook and building a sense of shared momentum. It was a clever choice – familiar enough to draw people in, yet delivered with her own stylistic imprint. The room responded immediately, shifting from attentive listening to active participation. It was the kind of moment that transforms a showcase into a communal experience, and she handled it with the ease of a seasoned performer.
That instinct for connection surfaced again when she introduced Guilty & Gorgeous. Before launching into the track, she taught the audience a key line, turning the performance into a call‑and‑response exchange that lifted the atmosphere. It was playful, confident and perfectly timed, demonstrating her ability to read the room and shape its energy. She moved around the limited space stage with a rhythmic, unforced coolness, always aware of where the cameras were. When photographers stepped forward, she instinctively turned toward them, offering angles and expressions that translated beautifully into stills and video. It was a level of media awareness that many emerging artists only develop much later, yet she wielded it with ease.
Her original material carried the emotional weight that defines her songwriting. Tracks like Whiskey and Play Pretending showcased her ability to channel personal experience into concise, expressive lines that resonate without ever tipping into melodrama. Her writing stems from strong emotions – heartbreak, self‑reflection, resilience – and she delivers those themes with a clarity that feels both vulnerable and controlled. Even in a festival setting, where subtlety can easily be lost, her lyrics landed with impact.
One of the most intriguing moments came with Go Baby Go, an unreleased track that hints at the direction her future work may take. It carried the melodic instinct and emotional honesty that run through her catalogue, but with a more expansive, confident tone. Live, it felt like a statement; a glimpse of what she is building toward. The audience responded with the same enthusiasm they showed for her released material, suggesting that her new work is already resonating.
What made the performance so compelling was not just the quality of the songs, but the way she held herself on stage. xyzelle exudes a blend of class, swagger, and composure that feels entirely natural. She moved with a relaxed assurance, interacting with the crowd between songs, sharing smiles, and maintaining a steady, magnetic presence. There was no sense of performance anxiety, no visible uncertainty. Instead, she projected a level of confidence that far exceeded her years, suggesting an artist who already understands her identity and direction.
For a debut Sound City showcase, this was a remarkably polished and engaging performance. xyzelle demonstrated not only technical skill and vocal versatility, but also the intangible qualities that define a compelling live act: instinct, emotional clarity, audience connection and the ability to shape a room’s atmosphere. She left the platform having made a clear impression, with everyone eager to have a group shot to capture the memory, and it was easy to imagine her returning to the festival in future years in a much larger capacity.
All photography provided by David Ellitts (@dave_took_some_photos)
